The president of “Civil Society Institute” NGO Artak Kirakosyan has considered the 60% participation in elections a positive factor. Artak Kirakosyan noted during the meeting with journalists in “Noyan Tapan” press hall, that it’s the first time we have a mirror, which reflects the actual votes of the electors: “Until now the ballot-box stuffing, miscounting have been a problem plus voting by the dead and people absent from the country, which also draws out the image that no one was confident whether what we have reflects the number of the votes. But this time it seems that whatever people have dropped into the ballot-box has been counted. The lists were completely correct, video devices were utilized. In short, 99% of what has been dropped into the ballot box is counted. At least from this angle we have a real picture.”
Addressing the negative factors, Artak Kirakosyan stated that violence and pressures have been present though striking cases of violence haven’t been recorded. Mr. Kirakosyan believes that guidance and election bribery have had a great influence on the election results: “There were pressures and guidance of the people present inside the polling stations, which was conducted by fake observation missions who were actually party members, party representatives or representatives from the list of party members. The pressure reached the ballot-box, time to time passing beyond the ballot-box as well. And this emanated a sick, tense atmosphere.” Referring to the election bribery Mr. Kirakosyan said that everyone is aware of these phenomena: “We know, that this pyramid exists, which takes certain people. The law keepers pretend as they have no clue.” Mr. Kirakosyan regarded these phenomena to be outrageous and noted that the mass which lives in socially bad conditions with narrow opportunities has a greater dependence upon different people. That mass votes in favor of those people, taking into consideration his dependence on them.
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
